Help us Implement the Medicaid ABA Benefit!


Another action is required to move the ABA program forward!

Your efforts, along with other advocates and providers, pushed the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to take a small step forward in implementing the Medicaid ABA benefit!

HHSC has sent a letter asking the Governor’s office and the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) to approve funding for the program. HHSC also included proposed rates for provider reimbursement and set a date for the program to start (if funded) for March 1st of 2021 – a year later than was proposed in December of 2019.

Now we need a second push! 

Please contact the Governor’s office, House and Senate Leadership, and the member of LBB listed below and tell them:

  • Approve funding for the $7.9 million dollar General Revenue request for intensive intervention behavior services for the remainder of the 2020-21 biennium

It’s also important to remind decision-makers that HHSC must:

  • Set “reasonable provider reimbursement rates” to ensure that all children who qualify for the benefit will receive services
  • Don’t predetermine and limit services by age – allocate supports according to medical necessity
  • Keep other autism services like the Children’s Autism Program separate as the other programs provide a unique set of critical supports and services

Please call or email these offices:

Governor’s Office (512) 463-1762 greg.abbott@gov.texas.gov
Lt. Governor – Dan Patrick (512) 463-0001 dan.patrick@ltgov.state.tx.us
Speaker of the House – Dennis Bonnen (512) 463-1000 dennis.bonnen@house.texas.gov
Senator Jane Nelson (512) 463-0112 jane.nelson@senate.texas.gov
Senator  Kelly Hancock (512) 463-0109 kelly.hancock@senate.texas.gov
Senator Larry Taylor (512) 463-0111 larry.taylor@senate.texas.gov
Senator Joan Huffman (512) 463-0117 joan.huffman@senate.texas.gov
Representative Giovanni Capriglione (512) 463-0690 giovanni.capriglione@house.texas.gov
Representative Oscar Longoria (512) 463-0645 oscar.longoria@house.texas.gov
Representative Dustin Burrows (512) 463-0542 dustin.burrows@house.texas.gov
Representative Mary Gonzalez (512) 463-0613 mary.gonzalez@house.texas.gov

As a reference, below are the information sheets on the Medicaid ABA Benefit, the Children’s Autism Program, and What is ABA? from our first Medicaid/ABA alert.

Implement Rider 32 – Medicaid ABA Benefit! Children’s Autism Program (CAP) One-Page Information Sheet What is Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy? IBI vs. ABA, and Rider 32